The Sonim XP1 is as close to indestructible as you get with cell phones

by Mike

I consider myself a person that likes to have the latest and greatest cell phone, the one with all the unnecessary, under developed features that sound so good on paper but don’t quite work that well once you try them out. When I first get that shiny, expensive new phone, I take good care of it for at least a month or two. After that, the scratches start to appear, little screws I never knew existed start falling off, and, eventually, the a button or two stops functioning altogether. You might think I take bad care of my phone, but some people are much worse. For those people, there’s the indestructible Sonim XP1. You’d really have to try to break this phone. Really.

Want to know just how indestructible this thing is? Well, it can handle -40 degree C weather, 1.3 meter drops, rain, dust, and any other little dips in bodies of water. That doesn’t mean it’s waterproof though, just more resistant than my poor Motorla E815. May it rest in peace.

Besides being nearly indestructible, this phone is also made to be used in industrial environments, where it’s loud and your often wearing gloves. Because of all that, the XP1 has two, self-described, “noisy” speakers, big buttons, and a scratch resistant color display.

This phone may be a bit more ruggedized than my KRZR, but it doesn’t have a camera, Bluetooth, music player, or any other fun little features. It does feature SMS support though. Woohoo.

Sonim’s XP1 doesn’t come cheap, this GSM handset will run you £199.00 (~$395). That’s a lot of money for a phone, but you’re paying for the indestructibility of this thing, which is worth it for some.